If you've been suffering from kidney stones, the last thing you want to do is gulp down soda--but a new study tries to make the case for you to do just that.
I had to read this one twice to make sure I wasn't imagining this bizarre conclusion... but there it is in black and white in the pages of the Journal of Urology.
Researchers have found that citrus-flavored diet sodas-- diet versions of drinks like 7Up and Sprite--contain high levels of citrate. Since many stone sufferers have low levels of citrate in their urine, it's believed that it may play a role in the prevention of calcium oxalate stones, the most common type of kidney stone.
The researchers behind this new study say they're not sure if this finding means diet citrus soda can actually limit or prevent stones... but that didn't stop them from encouraging patients to give it a shot anyway, especially if they're already trying to increase fluid levels to fight the stones.
"If drinking these sodas helps people reach that goal, then that may be a good thing," lead researcher Dr. Brian H. Eisner told the Reuters news agency.
No, that would not be a good thing. Not by a long shot, or even by a stone's throw.
Diet soft drinks offer soda sippers nothing more than a false sense of security. Despite the word "diet" in the name, studies have found that people who drink these beverages are every bit as likely to succumb to obesity as regular soda slurpers. Some studies have even found that diet soda drinkers are more likely to gain weight.
As painful as kidney stones can be--and believe me, I understand that pain--the diabetes and heart disease you can experience as a result of that weight gain are far worse.
Diet sodas also contain some of the worst refugees of the chemistry set, including aspartame--an additive so bad that many scientists are urging that it be banned altogether--and any number of terrifying preservatives that will do untold damage to your insides.
What's more, there are other--much better--ways to lower your risk of rolling with these stones. And while different types of stones may respond to different methods, none of them involve drinking more soda, diet or otherwise.
One common, natural method is the so-called lemonade treatment. The new diet soda research is based loosely on this, because they both work by boosting urinary citrate levels.
There's one catch here: Just like you don't want those artificial sweeteners and other chemicals found in diet soft drinks, you don't want the gut-busting empty calories of plain old sugar, either.
Drink your lemon juice unsweetened instead. It's an acquired taste... but you can get used to it, especially if you dilute it with plain old cold water in a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio. You can also squeeze liberal amounts of fresh lemon onto your vegetables, fish and chicken, and add it to your tea.
Also make sure you're getting enough potassium and magnesium, two essential nutrients that many stone- sufferers are low in, along with vitamin B6. Some research has also shown that dietary calcium--not calcium supplements--may help prevent the formation of stones.
You may have heard that vitamin C can cause kidney stones, but that's just a myth--so don't be afraid to keep taking this essential immunity-booster.
And while you definitely want to skip soda, don't be afraid to have a beer or two. While cool brews can increase the urinary calcium--something most stone sufferers generally want to avoid--beer is enough of a diuretic that it can actually help by clearing the kidneys. The same can be said for coffee.
Finally, make sure you stay hydrated. If you notice your urine getting darker in color, you're probably not getting enough fluids. Drink water, sip some tea, or try that lemon juice--just don't expect to drown your stones in diet cola.
On a mission for your health,
Ed Martin
Editor, House Calls
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